1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates generally to rotary cutting tools used to perform drilling/reaming operations.
2. Background Information
An example of a tool upon which the present invention improves is shown, for example, in DE 101 44 241 B4. The drilling/reaming tool which is described in said document has two (drilling) major cutting edges which are in each case assigned a helical main flute which is machined into a basic body of the tool. In addition, three reaming cutting edges which are spaced apart from one another in the circumferential direction are provided on the circumferential side, which reaming cutting edges project somewhat beyond the major cutting edges in the radial direction. Here, the reaming cutting edges adjoin the major cutting edges directly. Each reaming cutting edge is assigned a reamer flute which is likewise formed in a helically extending manner in a land of the basic body between the two main flutes.
Drilling/reaming tools of this type serve for the production of a drilled hole and for the simultaneous finishing operation of the hole wall with the aid of the reaming cutting edges. The key here is machining which is as highly precise as possible, in order to achieve the desired surface quality of the hole wall. Here, inter alia, effective transporting away of chips is also decisive. It is to be avoided here, in particular, that a chip is jammed between the wall of the hole and the tool, which would lead to damage of the wall of the machined hole. Here, transporting away of chips becomes more difficult as the depth of the drilled hole increases.
There is thus room for improvements in rotary cutting tools used to perform drilling/reaming operations.